LISTMANIA 2015: A YEAR-END LIST FROM PATRICK BRUSS (CRYPTICUS)

 

(We invited musician and producer Patrick Bruss (Crypticus) to share with us his list of favorite 2015 releases, and — not surprisingly — it’s heavy as hell.)

This was a bit of a slow year, I felt, but the good albums that were good were good. Or something. Let’s get started:

 

Black Fast – Terms of Surrender

Vektor, but with fewer carbs. These guys shred right in that savage early Voivod zone that bands like Deceased have made a home in. Amazing playing! Epic riffery! A Thrash Holocaust! For fans of: Vektor, Voivod, Deceased

 

 

 

 

Bloodstrike – In Death We Rot

Crushingly heavy debut album from my Denver friends. Also happens to be my favorite Death Metal album of the year. (In the interest of full disclosure, it was also mixed by me, so understand I’m a bit biased here!) It shows the never-ending appeal of pure Old-School Death Metal done right. No bells, no whistles, just ten tons of meaty riffs. Bloodstrike lay down layers of thick volcanic groove and heaviness. For fans of: Bolt Thrower, Grave, Asphyx

 

 

 

 

Pissgrave – Suicide Euphoria

As you can see from the cover art, not a great album to break buds on. Just found out about these guys — Total fucking armageddon! The unbelievable savagery and rawness approaches Grind and Black Metal levels, but this is definitely Old-School Death Metal. Brought to mind DR. Shrinker for some reason, but Pissgrave is eons heavier. Maybe Mental Horror is a better comparison. Also, some of the best “bad” production of the year, and I mean bad as in fantastic, of course.
For fans of: Mental Horror, Repugnant, Venenum

 

 

 

 

Cut Up – Forensic Nightmare

I was very bummed when Vomitory broke-up, so I was equally chuffed to hear they resurrected their Slayer-meets-Cannibal Corpse brutality under an EVEN WORSE band name: Cut Up.

Nothing ground-breaking, just good and nasty Death Metal produced by Ronnie Bjornstrom, so you know it’s goddamn heavy. Lots of groove, lots of D-Beats. For fans of: Vomitory, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer

 

 

 

 

Embrional – The Devil Inside

I enjoy ugly things sometimes. I especially like when ugliness meets virtuosity, and that’s what we have here. It’s that Polish brand of cold Death Metal darkness that only they can conjure, with just enough progressive tendencies to keep the brutality interesting. This is what I always wanted Portal to sound like. For fans of: Damnation, Azarath, Sinister

https://youtu.be/AKZ8Dngv0L4

 

 

 

 

Gorgoroth – Instinctus Bestialis

Infernus seems rather lazy these days, but his guitar playing is as sharp as ever. I find his riffs hard to resist. He rides the perfect line between melodic sophistication, Black Metal savagery, and Death Metal heaviness. With the last three albums he’s been bringing their old sound back but with a more Thrash Metal production and precision. I miss Gaahl’s antics, but this band still releases great stuff. For fans of: Immortal, Taake, old Gorgoroth

 

 

 

 

The Grotesquery – Curse of the Skinless Bride

A Lovecraftian project featuring Rogga Johansson on guitar, Crypticus drummer Brynjar Helgetun, and legendary Death Metal growler Kam Lee doing the storytelling. They’ve created several Horror Prog concept albums about secret cults, insane asylums, and horrible monsters, this being the third one. This is the kind of stuff that comes with pages out of diaries, maps, and all sorts of dangerous info, so be sure to get the vinyl! (I got all three!) Did I mention it’s produced by Dan Swanö? For fans of: Demiurg, Ribspreader, Bloodbath

 

 

 

 

Killing Joke – Pylon

This is their best in maybe 15 years. A return to the OG lineup. The only thing I miss is Paul Raven’s presence, otherwise it’s maybe my favorite KJ album since Extremities. Very Post Punk, and very classic KJ. For fans of: Voivod, Prong, old Killing Joke

 

 

 

 

Tombstalker – Black Crusades

Some SERIOUS Bolts being Thrown here. I liked their EP but this is a big step-up in all departments. If you thought Bolt Thrower “sold-out” after IBTINL, this is for you. Also, “Fate Weaver” is one of the best songs Dismember never wrote. For fans of: early Bolt Thrower, Axegrinder, Instinct of Survival

 

 

 

 

With The Dead – S/T

This is the heaviest Doom album of the year. I covered it ad-nauseum on the Pull The String! podcast, but it bears repeating: 1. I never much cared for Cathedral’s later output, and 2. Ramesses only ever had a few badly produced releases. But when you take Lee Dorian and add him to Ramesses, apparently you get a fucking Doom Metal Leviathan more powerful than its constituent parts. This shit’s heavier than Messiah Marcolin’s balls. Both of them. For fans of: Electric Wizard, The Wounded Kings, old Cathedral